


Complications at the End of The Countdown

by K_Lionheart



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Comedy, F/M, Fun idea I had during vacation, Kiss with a stranger, Romance, also im dying from cramps, star-crossed lovers, theres gonna be aaaaaaangst, will fix later, written on mobile
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-03-12 05:05:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13540293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/K_Lionheart/pseuds/K_Lionheart
Summary: Countdowns for Keith have always been a source of pain and aggravation. Nothing really good comes from countdowns. But a curious conversation with a pretty girl at a stupid party leads to something wholly new, and completely unexpected. And who knows, maybe countdowns aren’t always bad. Or maybe Keith’s always been right. But just because you’re right about something doesn’t mean you can’t do anything about it.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It’s late and I should be resting since I’ve been kicked yet again by nature’s hubris. But this idea wouldn’t go away and I’ve decided to write it even if it means hurting my fingers typing on mobile in the process.
> 
> (For those of you wondering about Love Potion no. 5, I’m working on the next few chapters. I hit a bit of a crossroads with it. Should I take it one way or another, yadda yadda. Rest assured new chap is coming. it’ll be up soon.
> 
> For those curious about What A Fool Believes, Chapter 2 was almost finished before it got deleted. I got pissed so I left it alone for a bit. I will get to it again. In the meanwhile enjoy this other potential two parter!)
> 
> Dedicated to Ariam-Jan, a close friend of mine. I love you!

_Five...four..._

If you’ve ever been at a party, then you’d  know it takes something of a spectacle to draw the entire party’s contents attention to a single event.

_Three...two..._

The usual kind of spectacle usually involves the like of a huge commotion...

_One..._

like the kind Lance made the second Keith walked through the open door of the stuffed apartment, two hours to Midnight on New Year’s Eve.

”WELL SLAP ME ON A PAN AND BAKE ME HIGH, LOOK WHO DECIDED TO SHOW UP!”

At any other point in time, Keith would’ve fixed the loud and (quite possibly) drunk Lance a steely glare and ducked out after rolling his eyes. The way the evening had been going, Keith instantly regretted taking up the guy’s invitation to his stupid New Year’s celebration. He almost did duck out and leave. But this time, unlike many times before, a swarm of eyes locked onto Keith and the party became abruptly quiet.

Keith froze under the sudden laser-like focus of so many unknown (and some sort of known) faces staring at him curiously.

He had barely taken a step inside and was now beginning to back off, like a cat making its slow and bristling escape elsewhere like back to his apartment. His hands, now weirdly sweaty, pressed to his black jeans and slid up nervously to where his pockets were.

Bad idea, Keith would realize in hindsight, after Lance parted through the crowd like a drunken Moses through a Red Sea (was the party color themed? Why???) and swung a fist through the loop Keith’s arm made before tugging him in.

The scent of hard lemonade hit Keith the moment Lance yanked him through, sour and sweet, and he wrinkled his nose.

”Keith Kogane, ladies and gents!!” Lance cried out, overly boisterous and far too handsy, smacking and squeezing Keith’s shoulders and nearly shaking him as he shoved him in.

People cheered, raising bottles and red plastic cups before turning back to their conversations. Keith was glad he passed their notice with an awkward wave and an even more awkward attempt at a smile before it fell and he all but shoved Lance off of him.

”Lance,” Keith said, voice dropping to a seething growl. “You didn’t say there’d be alcohol.”

Lance arched a brow, reeling for a moment. “Why wouldn’t there be—oh. Ohh... oh shit. Uhm... that’s my bad man.”

To his credit, Lance actually looked somewhat repentant, rubbing at the back of his head and looking a little upset at his mistake. He still had that stupid smile on his face though.

”I kind of forgot,” Lance shrugged.

“Whatever,” Keith sighed and tugged his fingers into his pockets. “I should just go, this was a bad idea.”

Lance jumped to intercept his escape, whirling Keith in the direction of the small kitchen. ”Nononono, no dude it’s cool, it’s cool, it’s cool! I got other things to drink. Pidge hates liquor too, so I got juice and this weird Aloe Vera drink and shit, come look.”

Keith barely managed a small protest before he was yanked again, this time he did get to roll his eyes.

“Pidge!” Lance gave a shout, waving an arm in the air as he pushed Keith into the brightly lit kitchen. Keith spotted the head of sandy hair before she spotted him and felt a small tug of a good feeling away from the irritation threatening to ruin the evening with a black stain.

The tug did it again when Pidge turned her head from a conversation she was having with someone Keith didn’t know when Lance called her again.

”Pidge!!”

Pidge snapped her eyes towards them, annoyed. “Pipe down, Lance, god!”

Her irritation was cut short when her eyes met Keith’s and her expression brightened up like the sun. Lance pointed excitedly to Keith, shaking him by the arm again.

”Pidge, look who’s here!”

Pidge parted from her conversation with a quick word before pushing past other people quickly towards Keith. Seeing her practically run to him reminded him of how long it’s been since he’s seen her. Her hair was longer, still bushy and unruly but now it had a form to it that made her look like a mad scientist. It was so endearingly Pidge that Keith nearly didn’t notice the make-up and jewelry until she was close enough.

”Keith!” She cried his name, beaming. 

Before he could comment, Pidge jumped and swung her arms around his neck in a hug that left Keith breathless.

Keith’s arms wrapped around her in response, quickly catching them both from toppling over. She sang gleeful giggles in his ear as she held him tight and Keith couldn’t hold back his laughter then.

”You complete jerk,” Pidge said, pulling back to press a sloppy kiss to his cheekbone and settling back on her feet. Keith’s arms slid down to her waist as she grabbed his face with her palms. “Do you have any idea how long it’s been?!”

”Eh, a while?” Keith replied, offering a cheeky shrug. Pidge pinched his ear.

”Try a literal friggin year,” she said, fixing a fiery look into his eyes. It’s clear she wasn’t happy about the distance or the time, but her excitement washed most of it down.

”I missed you too, Pidge.”

Pidge rolled her eyes and tugged him back down into a warm hug, one he delighted in with a sigh.

”Are we back to kissing again?” He asked playfully. “Does Lance know?”

Pidge pulled away and laughed. “Shut up, call it spur of the moment.”

”Yeah, no funny business, Keith!” Lance interrupted, sneaking his arms around from behind Pidge even while they were still somewhat in each other’s arms. “Pidge and I are for real!”

Keith laughed again, “Oh yeah? You too doing more than knocking boots in Iverson’s closet?”

Pidge and Lance exchanged a loving expression, which was more pointed from Pidge before Lance swooped down and pressed a kiss to her jaw just as she lifted her left hand.

Keith’s eyes widened at the size of the rock on Pidge’s ring finger, mouth popping open in surprise.

”You’re engaged?!”

”We’re engaged!” They chorused.

Keith snatched up Pidge’s hand, staring down at the ring with impressed awe as they began to recount the moment Lance popped the question and the moment Pidge said yes. It was overly sweet how in sync they were telling the story and Keith laughed at all the right parts. Eventually Lance took off to grab Keith a drink, leaving the two alone again.

”I’m really happy for you, Katie.” Keith smiled down at her, a gentle smile that was both heartfelt and genuine. If a bit sad.

”Me too,” Pidge said, cheeks blushing prettily. She rubbed her palm over his forearm. “I wanted to tell you when it happened... but I wasn’t sure if it was the right time.”

”I’m glad you waited,” Keith admitted honestly. He liked the way her red blouse matched her earrings. Red always made the green of her eyes pop out like magic. A magic that once belonged to him. “I’ve been working on a lot of stuff. I’m in a better place now and I’ve been making changes.”

”Yeah, I heard!” Pidge perked up. “Lance tells me you’ve laid off the booze!”

”Cold-turkey.”

”I’m proud of you,” Pidge said, and there was real and profound emotion in her eyes. “And also kind of pissed that Lance forgot about all that when he got the drinks to the party.”

”Eh, he’s enthusiastic. Bit of an idiot, but he’s got a good heart,” Keith said, shrugging. “It really is good to see you again... I’m still sorry about everything.”

Pidge shook her head, “nah, don’t worry about it. I’m happy now. With Lance of all people, if you can believe it.”

“Did you ever tell him what you told me when you first met him?” Keith grinned, amused by the irony.

”That there was no way in hell she’d ever in her entire life want to get involved with me?” Lance piped up, hands holding a couple of red plastic cups. He smirked as he handed Keith one. “Oh, she told me. I still laugh about it at times.”

The trio shared a chuckle before the sound of something shattering echoed from the other room. Lance’s smile fell to an exhausted glower.

”Slav, I SWEAR TO GOD, if that was you again...!!” Lance ducked out again and Keith took a sip of his drink. His eyes rose to his hairline.

”This is aloe vera juice?” Keith asked. Pidge grinned again.

”Weird, right?”

”Super weird,” he said before taking a large gulp and downing it gratefully.

* * *

Their conversation took them to a quiet corner in the living room where Keith and Pidge caught up and talked about everything that had happened since April. It was good to catch up, put old things to rest and to enjoy the warm memories before their relationship ended a year and a half ago.

”So where are you going after this?” Pidge asked him when a lull in their conversation left them in a semi-comfortable silence. Keith glanced up from resting his elbows on his knees. He blinked at her curiously before smiling.

”Nah, I’ve sort of stopped wandering. I finally got an apartment and sold the pick up. It was hard to keep living on the back, and after Red died I knew I had to set roots somewhere or else risking ending up buried on the side of some road out there too.”

Pidge nodded, reaching down to squeeze his shoulder. “I’m sorry about Red. She was an awesome cat. I cried rivers when I got your letter.”

”She missed you,” Keith added quietly. “Since we broke up she’d sort of look at me whenever I passed by the road that led to your place.”

”I still have that bowl...” Pidge said, nibbling on her lip. “Do you want it back?”

Keith shook his head. “Keep it. I left Red behind in that road. The memories alone are good enough. You deserve to keep a part of her.”

”Thanks,” Pidge said and Keith found himself under a curious stare from her green eyes. “Have you found it, then?”

”Hm?”

”What you’ve been looking for?” Pidge said.

Keith sucked in a slow breath and leaned back on the chair next to the window. He glanced out into the balcony and fire escape. The city streets were alight with parties and celebration, in the distance an ambulance tore into the night.

”Not yet.” He looked up at her and smiled. “But I’m...working on it. On not giving up.”

Pidge beamed at him before leaning down and pressing a kiss to his temple. “Good. You shouldn’t.”

With a final squeeze to his arm, Pidge left him to go help an exasperated Lance with their shared guests. Keith watched her go and allowed his mind to wander and wonder. But then he saw her throw her head back and laugh at something Lance did before he caught her lips in a kiss and Keith shook his head.

”Final countdown starts in half an hour!” Lance’s voice rose over the music playing in the background. “I hope you’ve got your lovers ready!”

A bitter feeling settled in his stomach despite his intention to push through it. It was kind of an unspoken thing... his whole beef against countdowns. The only one who really got it was Pidge and that was one of the reasons they ended up dating in the first place. Pidge understood the anxiety that came with countdowns. Her dad had been an astronaut, just like his dad. She understood the fear of things going wrong, the nail biting tension that came at the end of a countdown. He knew what it was like to watch that countdown end in a fiery tragedy even if she didn’t.

But she got it. So she never pushed him to do anything he didn’t feel like doing about it. Unfortunately... that only made it so she never dared to push and he never dared to move except to run away. Keith loved her more than he ever got to with most people, but countdowns apply to a lot of things and they had hit theirs earlier than he expected.

Keith watched his two friends exchange happy interactions with new guests, showing off the rock on Pidge’s finger and laughing boisterously. After some time, Keith found himself needing air.

As if sensing his need, Pidge’s eyes cut through the crowd and landed right on Keith who smiled and pointed at the window. She gave him a warm nod and it was all he needed before he slid it open and hopped out of the party and into the balcony. 

* * *

 

It was breezy and weirdly warm for December 31st. Keith tugged at his jacket to let the cool air sweep through him and sighed. It was maybe a solid five steps to the edge of the balcony where he found a place to lean on his elbows and watch the bustling city below.

It was unusual to see the streets so busy so late at night, making it seem as if it were only 7pm rather than half an hour to a New Year. Still, Keith allowed his bones to sink into the calm of people watching and seeing distant fireworks blossom ethereal colors into the inky black sky.

”Hello.”

Keith spun around with a yelp, eyes wide.  His gaze landed on a pair of laughing blue eyes and a hand covering up a giggle.

”Hi,” he said, feeling a little foolish.

”I didn’t mean to startle you,” she said, English accent melodious over the trace of laughter leaving her throat. The light of the apartment didn’t do much to cast light on her but Keith knew enough to guess they’ve never met before. She sat up from the loveseat she was curled up on, body misty hidden under a blanket and a suede coat. Keith noticed her hair, held up in an elegant bun behind her head was a stark shade of platinum, contrasting her dark skin. Pretty.

”Ah, no, you’re good,” Keith rubbed a palm against the back of his hair. “I didn’t know anyone was out here already. Should I go or...?”

”You’re fine!” The woman insisted, smiling up at him widely. “I was just taking a break from the party.”

Keith nodded, “Great minds.”

She nodded back and shifted in her seat. Keith found himself uncertain on what to do, so an awkward silence cut in and left him leaning back on the rail and glancing out to the city.

”Allura.”

Keith snapped his eyes back to her. “Sorry?”

She raised a hand to tug at a lock of her hair. “My—my name. I’m Allura.”

”Oh,” he said. “Keith.”

Allura smiled again. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Keith.”

”Nice to meet you too,” he said.

A loud rabble of laughter burst from inside the apartment. Keith glanced at Allura and watched her smile fade a little before she looked back at him. “So on what world did you meet our boisterous host?”

”Who—Lance?” Keith asked. When she nodded, Keith snorted. “School. We went to the same prep school and college. I honestly didn’t know him personally until after I...I dropped out. He didn’t want to be friends back then.”

”Oh?” Allura cocked her head. “Why not?”

Keith smirked at this, “You know, I still don’t really get it. Something about a rivalry we had that I didn’t know about.”

She giggled again, rolling her eyes good-naturedly. “Yes, that sounds like him.”

Keith crossed his arms as a breeze played with his hair and made the strands of hers float about in a pretty way.

”How do you know Lance?”

”Work. I was his supervisor before I quit and went to work somewhere else.”

”Oh yeah? No kidding.”

She hummed a soft affirmation. “He was persistent, though. Absolutely refused to stop following me around until I agreed to go on a date with him or be his friend.”

Keith snickered, “Sorry about that. He can be unknowingly creepy.”

”I got awfully close to throwing him over my shoulder a few times, but I figured he was the kind that would be into it,” Allura said with a chuckle. Keith shook his head. “Funnily enough, we did end up dating a couple of times.”

Keith’s eyes went wide. This was...new.

”Seriously?”

“Yep!” Allura nodded, pushing her blanket and coat off her to stretch. Her neck down was covered in an elegant vermillion turtleneck and Keith found himself staring at he way her body curved as she stretched. He looked away as soon as she glanced at him.

”It didn’t last. He’s a sweet person, but he was already half-in love with Pidge by the time we started going out,” Allura said and pressed her elbows to her lap. “It all worked out, though! I realized I liked him a lot better as a friend than anything else.”

”Pidge and I dated a while back.”

Allura’s eyes widened, “You two?”

He nodded.

”It was nice. We were together for about two years before we broke up.”

Keith pushed off the rail, taking a few steps closer to her. The breeze was nice but it made it hard to hear her speak. Allura moved too, grabbing her blanket and standing up to move toward the rail. They settled at a semi close place to talk.

“Are you alright now?” She asked, nudging her chin in the direction of the apartment. Keith nodded.

”Oh yeah,” he said. “We broke up as little more than a year and a half ago. I’ve been traveling all over the place since...”

The conversation took off in a way neither of them expected. Keith could tell, judging by the way Allura suddenly laughed at one of his stories from when he lived on the road. Before long they were practically huddled together talking when Lance’s voice rose through the noise and got their attention.

”Thirty seconds to midnight!!”

”Is it really?” Allura asked and Keith glanced down at her. His stomach jumped a bit when he realized how close they’d both gotten to one another. At this distance, he could see her eyes clearly, the way her lips were shaped.

Allura must have sensed his gaze because she glanced up at him and eyes him curiously. Yet, for some odd reason, Keith couldn’t bring himself to look away.

”You know, Keith, all this talk of traveling and living on the road... it makes me wonder if you’ve been getting closer to finding something you’ve been searching for.”

Keith blinked, surprised. “Or it means I gave up,” he said. “I ended up coming back.”

”FIVE, FOUR...”

Allura tilted her chin, “Or maybe it means you’re closer than ever before.”

”...TWO, ONE...!!”

”HAPPY NEW YEAR!!”

Explosions of color and light consumed the sky in pretty designs as the world celebrated the end of a year and the start of a new one. Keith let his eyes get taken by the splendor and spectacle of it all, yet there was no feeling of high hopes or even bitterness. He feltalmost nothing as the seconds passed into the New Year.

He glanced away from the City to look back into the apartment. Couples inside were wrapped up in each other’s arms, pressing kisses to lips and swinging happily together. Through the swarm of people, Keith spotted Pidge dipped in Lance’s arms, their lips molded together in a passionate kiss that’s barely held by the smile on her face.

Keith smiled at the sight and sighed. I really am happy for you, Katie.

”It was a pleasure meeting you, Keith.”

Keith looked away to see Allura smiling at him. “Likewise, Allura.”

She began to pull away and he thought nothing of it until he felt a small touch on his collarbone.

Before Keith could form a coherent thought, Allura was suddenly right in front of him, fingers curling gently under the collar of his red flannel shirt and black under shirt. Her nose brushed against his softly and he froze, eyes following her movement until they closed instinctively. 

Her lips gathered around his lower lip in an impromptu kiss, one his mouth accepted and returned before he could figure out what is happening.

It’s a sweet kiss, short and ending on a sparkling note that it sang against his skin and left him feeling like a firework—the kind that lights up with a small explosion only to follow up with a bright crackle.

She pulled away as swiftly it was meant to end. Keith’s eyes blinked open lazily in time to see her smile up at him shyly before she straightened his collar with a soft caress.

His throat tightened up and the words left him when he caught an unforeseen expression in the blue of her eyes. It was almost... sad.

”Happy New Year.”

and just like that she’s gone and Keith’s heart pounded a new countdown in his ears as he stares at the place where she last stood.

”Happy New Year...”


	2. Aftermath

“Thanks for stopping by,” Keith called out to the last of the costumers filing out of the small coffee shop. The door swung closed with a chime and he placed his hands on his uniform clad hips, releasing a sigh.

He glanced around at the now empty establishment, eyes sweeping over the clean tile floor and honing over the last bits of trash left on a couple of tables. He was the last one here, his co-worker having clocked out early to rush to the hospital when he got the news his wife was in labor. Keith waved him off as he took into a sprint out the back door. To his relief, the slow trickle of costumers and patrons didn’t strengthen that evening so he managed just fine on his own.

The music playing in the background switched tracks to a piece on a piano and a pretty lady’s voice. It was a good song, and Keith would enjoy it more had he not been hearing it loop through the shop’s speakers throughout his shift.

He began tugging off the buttons on his shirt sleeve, rolling the cloth up to his elbows as he started counting down the list of last duties. Yet, something held his feet to the floor, left him staring off into space.

_Her lips captured his lower lip in a gentle touch, one his mouth reacted to and responded before he could even register what was happening. The sensation shot through every nerve and blood vessel, leaving him feeling like he’d been filled with electricity. She pulled away too soon._

_”Happy New Year.”_

The music on the track switched to another song and Keith blinked in surprise. He shook his head, cheeks flushed a dark pink and he cleared his throat.

He got back to work with a frown, lips pursed as he wiped down tables and swept until everything was immaculate. Every once in a while, his mind would betray him, distracted by the shades of platinum on some of the mugs or the spoons, or the way the coffee he brewed somehow captured the shade of her skin underneath the bright lights of fireworks and artificial orange glows. There was a moment where his heart had jumped to his chest when he thought he saw a silver-haired woman pass by the shop as he was talking down an order.

Attempting to explain to his manager why he burst out the front door without a warning to their customers was harder said than done. Nor was it any easier explaining why he had looked so utterly dejected when he came back in, shoulder dropped and eyes downcast.

The phone in the back suddenly started ringing while Keith was flipping the chairs up. He wiped his hands on his apron and walked past the counter to grab the wireless phone. He flicked the talk button with his thumb.

”Coffee Encounter, this is Keith.”

”Oh good, you’re still there,” came the relieved sigh of his manager. She sounded a bit stressed.

Keith arched a brow. “Hey, boss. I’m just closing up the shop now.”

”Good to hear. I got the text from Gill about Olía but I wasn’t able to find anyone to cover his shift. Did everything go okay?”

“Yeah, fine. There wasn’t a rush or anything so I managed.”

”Good, good...” she trailed off for a moment and Keith wasn’t sure if she had hung up. He looked back at the shop and decided to kill two birds. He got back to work, balancing the phone between his ear and shoulder as he continued flipping chairs.

”Uh... Plax?” Keith asked when Plaxum’s voice remained oddly silent.

”Still here,” she replied warmly. “Sorry, I don’t know how else to ask this but, are you doing okay, Keith?”

Keith blinked in surprise, pausing from grabbing a chair.

”Yeah, I’m fine. ...If this is about what happened this afternoon...”

”Well, kinda. You’ve seemed pretty... distracted these past few days. Did something... happen New Year’s weekend?”

The memory of Allura came back and Keith slowed down to a stop. His cheeks flushed pink again and he dragged a hand through his hair.

”Not really.”

Because nothing really happened. Not really. Not at all. Because after Allura disappeared, Keith didn’t try running after her or find out anything more about her. He had no clue who she was, and it was better that way. The kiss she pressed to his lips was just that, a kiss. A kiss between strangers. It didn’t mean anything. Not really. Not at all.

”...Did you meet someone?”

Keith’s breath hitched in his throat and he coughed. “Uh...sorry, not to be rude but...is this going anywhere?”

”Ah, you’re right! Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry. I’ve just been a little worried is all. You’ve only been working here since November but I meant it when I said that you’re more than welcome to ask if you needed anything.”

Keith’s shoulders fell a little in astonishment. “Oh...”

Plax’s voice suddenly got a little tight and nervous, “What I mean to say is—You’re a valuable member of the team! I care about you like I care about everyone! You’ve been living nearby for a short while too and I just wanna make sure you’ve got everything you need and, um...”

Keith smiled, “Thanks, boss. That means a lot to me. If I do need anything, you’ll be the first to know.”

There was a moment where Plaxum seemed to fumble with her words before saying, “Good! Okay, well g’night! Make sure you lock up!”

She hung up and Keith let out an airy chuckle. His smile faded after a moment and he paused to glance outside a window. His eyes caught on the sign, spotted one of the promotional ribbons that hung off the edge and felt a knot form on his throat when it reminded him of the color of her eyes...

Keith tore his attention back to his work. The track started playing again and he hurried off to shut it up before he finished. He grabbed his helmet and keys, swinging on his leather jacket before stepping out the shop and locking up.

* * *

“Hunk, I’m home.” Keith called, walking through the door and carrying a small bag of groceries and his helmet under an arm.

”Hey, buddy,” Hunk’s voice came from deep within the apartment, low and distracted. “Just finishing up here. Did you buy the mushrooms?”

”Yep,” Keith said as he dumped his keys in a bowl by the counter. He walked around the island of the kitchen and started stuffing groceries in their fridge. An off smell reached his nose from inside the rickety appliance. He let out a disgusted sound as he grabbed a bottle of root beer and shut the door. “Did you forget to clean the fridge?”

”Nah, I cleaned it. Why? Does it still stink?”

Keith threw his helmet on the couch just as he saw Hunk pad his way out his room, dressed in shorts and a bright yellow tank top. Keith took in the sight of the bright orange head band around Hunk’s forehead and snorted.

”Another campaign?”

”Another victory,” Hunk smiled widely, hurrying to the fridge. “How’d work go?”

”Slow, thankfully. One of my coworkers bailed early.”

”Oh, that sucks.”

”Nah, his wife went into labor.”

”Whoa!” Hunk exclaimed, reeling from the fridge’s open mouth. He covered his nose and grumbled. “Where is that coming from?”

Keith snapped the cap of his bottle open, it gave with a hiss. “You’re sure you cleaned it?”

”Yes, I’m sure,” Hunk replied over his shoulder, exasperation leaking through his tone as he moved food around in search of the source. “We’re gonna need to get everything out.”

”We’re gonna need a new fridge,” Keith replied, downing a gulp of root beer. His nose wrinkled at the thought of having to clean at this hour. “This is the third time it’s happened.”

”Got the money for it?”

Keith scowled. He let out a long sigh before placing his drink on the counter and disappearing into his room. He came back out in regular sleeping clothes; gone was the black apron, dress-pants, shoes, and vest of the coffee shop.

Hunk had all the food out on the counter by the time Keith started rummaging around for detergent.

”I’m pretty sure it’s the filter,” Hunk said as they donned rubber gloves and (in keith’s case) a medical face mask.

”I’ll get it.”

They worked and chatted while they cleaned the fridge. By the time they finished the smell was mostly gone and Keith had finished his soda. He toppled into the couch, tired, as Hunk started pulling food out for a late dinner.

”You know Pidge called again today,” Hunk said over the sounds of mincing food on a wooden board. Keith closed his  eyes. The smell of oil cooking reached his nose and he sighed.

”Yeah?”

”You really need to get a cell phone, guy.”

Keith waved a hand flippantly. “I’ve survived this long without one.”

”God only knows how.”

Keith let out a huff of amusement, swinging a leg over the arm of the couch petulantly.

”Put that leg down or I’ll forget to feed you.”

Keith blinked open an eye and spotted the back of Hunk’s head. He’s gonna figure out how he does that someday. Throwing his leg off the arm, Keith sprawled out comfortably.

”What’d she want?”

”Who?”

”Pidge. What’d she want?”

”Check up on you. I did my part and told her what I know.”

A loud hiss broke from the kitchen and the smell of garlic tantalized the air.

”And what’s that?”

”That you’ve been out of it lately, staring off into the distance like a bride wishing her husband’s return from the war.”

Keith threw his leg back on the arm.

”Dude,” Hunk called out in warning.

“Eye for an eye, Hunk,” Keith shot back. Hunk paused cooking to throw Keith a pout. Keith frowned back.

”Okay I didn’t put it like that when I told her. Now put your leg down.”

Keith did so but his frown remained. “I haven’t been out of it.”

”Oh really?”

”Yeah,” Keith challenged. “Really.”

”Dude just this morning I called out to you like five times and you didn’t notice until I smacked you with the spatula. Also Plaxum called me to ask if you were doing okay after you apparently shot out of the coffee house like a desperate weirdo only to come back looking like you’d seen a ghost.”

Keith’s frown morphed into a scowl and he shut his eyes. The sound of mincing and chopping paused for a moment.

” _Did_ anything happen at the party?”

”For the last time, no.”

Hunk sighed and Keith heard him shut the gas stove off, the sizzling dimmed to a gentle hissing. Hunk’s big footsteps reverberated under him, Keith didn’t look at him. The couch cushions sank next to him and Keith waited.

”Is her name Allura?”

Keith visibly stiffened, his eyes snapping open in shock as he twisted to look at Hunk. Hunk was looking at him curiously but now let out a wide smirk.

”Ha! Called it,” Hunk slapped him on the knee before going back to the kitchen.

”Wait, what?” Keith shot up in his seat. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

”Nothing,” Hunk called back with a laugh. “Just something Pidge told me.”

Keith felt his heart fall to his feet and he fought to keep his movements controlled. Drawing a breath, Keith rose from the couch and walked toward the kitchen island. Hunk turned the stove back on and resumed cooking.

”Hunk,” Keith said slowly. “What did Pidge tell you?”

”She didn’t tell me anything. Well... She told me that at one point in the night after you went out into the balcony, this girl named Allura walked out and left the party. Didn’t think much of it.”

Keith bit down on his cheek, glaring at the back of Hunk’s head when he left it at that.

After a moment Hunk turned around grinning, “You can stop your glaring, I know something happened.”

”I already told you nothing did,” Keith said tersely.

”Then explain that,” Hunk pointed at Keith’s face with his knife. Keith flinched back in surprise though Hunk was far enough away that he was more than safe. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look flustered let alone blushing.”

Keith bristled, crossing his arms. “I don’t blush.”

”Then explain it,” Hunk snickered, sliding chopped onions into the oil with the garlic. “Or don’t, doesn’t make much of a difference to me. I’ve got a theory.”

Keith rolled his eyes, “What a surprise.”

”My theory is,” Hunk began with a flourish, sliding other vegetables into the thickening sauce. “You went to the party, Lance turned all the attention on you to make you unable to book it out—attention is your weakness, my dude—and led you in. You hung out with Pidge, talked for a bit but then being overwhelmed by the crowd and stuff you went out into the balcony and that’s where you met Allura. How’m I doing so far?”

Keith stared at him and Hunk smiled wide again, pleased. “You talked, connected, she’s the most beautiful creature you’ve ever seen! And suddenly it’s seconds to midnight and swayed by the romance of the evening and the promise of new beginnings, you kissed her. But it was all so fast and before you knew it she was gone. Now you’re kicking yourself down, thinking about what you should’ve done and whatever. Which leads us to now.”

_He felt her hand gather the fabric of his collar, warm and gentle. Her blue eyes slid closed by the time his eyes turned to look at her, the distance between them shortening before he could gasp._

Keith swallowed down the sudden squeeze in his chest. “Not a bad theory,” Keith allowed himself to say through a huff of bitter amusement. “Only there’s one thing you got wrong.”

Hunk peered up at him with an interested  expression, “And that is?”

_She’s the one who kissed me._

”That it ever happened. I met Allura once and that was on the way out of the party. Still that was pretty entertaining. If your career as a beta tester ever tanks you should consider writing a novel or two.” Keith pushed off from the counter and reached back into the fridge for another bottle of root beer. “Lemme know when dinner’s ready.”

This time, Hunk didn’t say anything and Keith walked back into his bedroom.

Closing the door behind him, Keith fell onto his bed and stared up at his ceiling, fingers chilled by the permeating cold of his root beer bottle.

He closed his eyes and saw hers looking back at him. Slowly, he lifted his other hand, tracing the area where he had felt her lips on his. Not for the first time his mind wandered and wondered.

The following nights after that kiss left Keith haunted by dreams. Dreams where she grabbed him and pulled him close, and his body tightened in anticipation for the kiss that was to come. Some dreams gave him relief and he felt it again, felt his own lips part and accept her touch as naturally as any kiss from a lover could be. Other dreams taunted him, leaving his eyes firmly closed and his lips tingling with a touch that never came.

Other dreams, Keith was the one to reach out for her, wanting to pull her closer, feel her in his hands instead of leaving his hands frozen on the rail or at his sides. He never felt satisfaction. He never found out what it would be like.

Every time Keith woke up, it was with his mouth feeling as it always did. The tingling of dreams disappearing as soon as his eyes blinked open. And every time he tried to close his eyes again, beckon the dreams back in vain so he could remember how her mouth felt and pressed to his.

And then it was gone and Keith would be left to stare in silence and alone at a ceiling that did nothing but stare back.

”Get out of my head,” Keith sighed, heart twisting as he draped an arm over his eyes and willed the feelings away. Willed it all until he hoped he felt nothing.

_Five... four... three... two..._

”Keith, dinner’s ready!”

Keith’s body rose from his bed and he walked out of his room, hoping to forget her.

Hoping that he’d never see her again.

Hoping that he would.


	3. When Push Comes to Shove

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Made some changes to this chapter that makes for smoother reading! Lemme know what you think! Kudos are appreciated, comments are lifeblood!

Keith hated his days off.

Hated them like most people hate Mondays, droughts, and obnoxious bar smells.

Whenever his days off showed up, he’d wake up already annoyed and anxious for the day to be over. Today was no exception, especially when he realized his second job was absolutely refusing to let him come into work. Even the co-workers that let him bum off their hours refused to let him take another shift.

Lifting himself up from his bed, Keith grunted and stretched, staring at the calendar hanging next to his dresser with a sour expression. He couldn't stand his days off.

Begrudgingly, he moved away from his cleaned uniform and started up with a load of laundry while he began his morning routine. Through the thin walls of their shared apartment, Keith could hear the faint rumblings of Hunk's rambunctious sleeping habits.

Not for the first time he was glad that their rooms were located on opposite sides of the apartment and with their own bathrooms. As much as he loved the big guy, he's also seen the state of his bathroom.  _No freaking thank you._

He was at his sink, brushing his teeth when he heard an alarm go off in a different part of the building. Right on time. Must mean it's already 7 am. He could still be in bed right now, sleeping, dreaming of the woman with the beautiful hair and the mysterious eyes...  _Allura..._

Keith paused to stare at his reflection in the mirror, eyes narrowing in a dark glower. "Not today dude," he grunted through a mouthful of Colgate froth and spit. He bent down and rinsed. "Get over her already, you're never going to see her again."

_But you'd like to, wouldn't you?_

Minutes later Keith was stuffing the washer with his laundry, glaring vehemently and muttering curses under his breath. In his unjustified irritation, he ended up smacking his fingers rather brutally against the walls of the metal washing machine. Keith hissed and retreated, cradling his throbbing fingers and biting back the urge to snarl and kick the damn thing.

"Deep breath, Keith," he told himself through clenched teeth. "Deep breath and count..."

He stopped himself then. He pulled his fingers into his line of sight, seeing the lightest bruising turning parts of his fingers pink around the knuckles. He sucked a part of his cheek between his teeth and clicked his tongue brusquely. It's fine. Counting down was stupid and never worked. He threw in the laundry soap and shoved a Tide pod in for good measure before slamming the washer's mouth closed and moving out.

On days like this, Keith would usually leave the rest of the laundry in Hunk's hands. Hunk usually woke up after Keith had gone to work and when the machine's load was done. Because Keith would be off working, Hunk didn't feel bothered helping out. The kindness did not extend into Keith's day's off though. On these days, he had to manage on his own. But that's not why he couldn't stand days like these.

Keith stormed back into his room and threw on a pair of jeans, a red shirt, and a hoodie. His sneakers, keys, and bike jacket waited for him at the door. He walked over to the living room and spotted his helmet, turned upside down, on the couch. He'd grab that after snatching a banana from the bowl on the kitchen island.

With not much else to be done, Keith didn't wait around. He grabbed his things and shoved his feet into his shoes before hurrying out the door.

The further he walked down the stairs the better he started to feel. At the bottom, he dumped the banana peel in a garbage can and proceeded into the sunlit parking lot. A cold breeze nipped at his nose and ears, bristling his hair with the chill.

He walked over small plots of winter-browned grass, avoiding chunks of snow that had survived the warmth of the sun. He kept his walking brisk and quick, wanting to get on his bike without drawing attention from one of the neighbor's dogs.

No sooner did he reach the smooth black curves of his motorcycle did he start hearing the familiar yapping of the neighbor's dog who lived by his parking spot. Keith grimaced and pulled his helmet on.

He didn't like that stupid chihuahua. Multiple times he'd gotten a nasty letter on his bike suggesting for him to move to a different parking spot. Multiple times he had to respond that he couldn't because the parking spots were assigned and asking the landlord was way too big of a hassle for him to deal with. The least he could do was step on it. And sure enough, there was another yellow letter on his bike's seat.

Keith snatched it up and tugged it in his jacket pocket before sliding onto his bike and sinking the keys into the ignition. A moment later his bike revved to life and he was speeding off without another glance back.

* * *

He was at a park he hadn't been to before. Again. Just... staring.

People watching sounded kind, but it would count as an activity if that was what he was doing. But he wasn't. He wasn't doing anything except staring... at a water fountain. He hadn't even found a bench or anything. He didn't even look dressed to be at a park this early in the morning. Keith was pretty damn certain that he was probably drawing more suspicion toward him by just standing next to a tree instead of doing anything. He sighed and looked up. The sky was a mesmerizing blue...  _nope._

He glanced over to the water fountain again. Ivory and platinum.  _Ugh._

He ducked his gaze over to his shoes and stiffened when he realized he has shrugged on the pair that had vermillion on them without realizing it.  _Oh, come on._

Keith sunk his fists into his jacket and started walking, not caring much for which direction he took only that it kept him from stagnating....stewing... spiraling back into the same thoughts. Keith's eyes spotted a stone bridge by the end of the park.

He honed in on it, walking past morning joggers and the occasional dog-walker that glanced at him before quickly looking away. Judging by their reaction, his aggravation was clear on his face. He did not want anyone near him at the moment.

Perhaps this bridge could provide him a necessary distraction, allow him to stare over its lip and into a dark unknown. That would be welcome. It was bad enough he hated being without something to do, worse now that his constant daydreaming in these past few weeks into January had convinced his bosses that he needed a break.

_You're a good kid, Keith. You're a hard worker. But you could be overworking yourself. It could explain why you've been spacing out a lot. Why you've been distracted. Why you suddenly snapped at a co-worker or why you screwed up an order. Take a break. Take a couple of days off. When you're all better, we can put you back on the schedule._

None of them got it.

Keith could only ever work at his best so long as he had something to do. Give him a long list of duties and he'd be one of the very few who'd accept the entire list with a determined nod. He needed work. It would be the only sure way he'd be able to get over this... this...  _obsession_ coursing through him.

"I wish I never met her," Keith thought despairingly. "I wish she'd never gone and kissed me. Crazy chick."

Who goes around kissing someone they just met? A crazy person, that's who. Who also goes around constantly daydreaming about said crazy person? ...an even nuttier person.

Keith huffed stubbornly, breath bursting from his lips in a bright cloud of mist that disappeared behind him. When he reached the bridge, his body was warmer, almost too hot underneath his jacket and hoodie. His brisk pace had been more than enough to heat his skin if his anger hadn't. A stone sign stood erect in the middle of the path that led into the bridge's walkway.

He caught the swooping letters, JUNIBERRY BRIDGE, engraved into the sign. Sighing, he trudged the last few steps toward the stone rail and leaned his elbows down on the stone. Finally he peered over, expression flattening, unimpressed.

Below him was not the steady flow of a wide river like Keith had expected. Keith's eyes followed the edge of the riverbed, finding it higher and drier than the shallow stream could ever reach. He peered back over his side of the bridge and spotted a small pebble by his feet. He bent down to pick it up when he heard fast approaching footsteps.

Keith paused and glanced up, surprised when he saw no one and the sound of footsteps halted. Keith grabbed the pebble and straightened up, eyes scanning the other side of the park with an odd look before mentally shrugging and turning back to the river.

He dropped the stone over the side of the bridge and watched it fall through the air before hitting the water with a hollow splash.

 _Weak._ Keith twisted his lips and followed the jagged curve of the shallow waters. He sighed again and tucked his hands under his arms, leaning more over the bridge. Well, he was already here, might as well enjoy the view.

In its prime, Keith could tell that the bridge and its river would've been a royal sight to see. The park was large enough and pretty enough that it would no doubt be filled with picnic goers and families of all sizes. In the spring, the apple trees and the cherry blossoms would gather the attention of large crowds, and he spotted a distant amphitheater where activities and big events would be sponsored in the summer and fall times.

Now, this park was sleepy and forgotten but at the very least it was clean and Keith had been unable to spot any hobo's living under the bridge.

 _I wonder if Pidge has been here yet._ Keith wondered as his eyes followed a jogger as they trotted in the opposite direction. He could imagine this place being a good location for an afternoon date or a romantic rendezvous. He let out a short sigh, if Lance was Lance then chances are this is the spot where he proposed to her.

...Where _did_ he propose to her?

Keith frowned and tried to recall but his mind drew a blank. That's odd, he'd been paying attention when they told him the story, but for some weird reason he suddenly couldn't bring up the detail. His head felt strangely fuzzy. Keith shook his head, bringing a hand up to his temple when he heard a rush of footsteps again. He straightened, turning around to see who was headed his way when something hard suddenly cracked against the side of his head.

Keith let out a gasp, seeing stars as his vision spun and his head split in a vicious headache. Something grabbed his legs and suddenly the world spun again, and he felt weightless.

Keith blinked in shock, realizing too late that he was falling...

Falling over the other side of the bridge.

His eyes followed the stark blue of the sky above, before his eyes caught the shape of a figure looking down at him over the bridge.

In the rush and panic of it all, Keith could not register any details. He was plummeting...

The last thing Keith could remember was plunging into the icy cold water before everything came to a sharp and abrupt halt.

* * *

He woke to the sensation of something pumping against his chest, up and down, hard enough to strain against his sternum. The pumping stopped and then something cold and clammy plugged his nose and opened his mouth. What he felt next was soft against his mouth before air was being forced down his throat.

An odd sensation, like a shiver, coursed through him before something else squeezed at the inside of his lungs and made his chest spasm furiously.

The softness on his mouth pulled away abruptly and Keith felt whatever was choking him come up, his body wracking with pain and chills as it was forcefully vacated from his lungs and he threw up onto the winter-browned grass.

When he stopped, Keith felt his body begin furiously trembling. He gasped and grunted, scrambling to pull himself up onto his arms.

"Easy, easy," he heard and then felt a soothing touch rub his back. "Take it slow."

Keith spun around and hissed, his vision spinning and mind clenching in vehement protest. "Whoa there, slow down," he heard. "You've got an awful bump on your head."

That... that voice... that  _accent_...

Keith felt soft hands guide him to a sitting position and he slouched forward. He was  _freezing,_ shivering hard, his entire body felt weighed down by frigid water. He couldn't feel his fingers or his toes. Blinking away water, Keith tried to see who it was that was holding on to him when he was able to recognize concerned murmuring around him.

"Please, give him some air!"

"You heard her, back up!"

"Is he alright, is he okay?"

"Whoa, I think he's bleeding."

"What happened?"

Keith groaned, feeling sick to his stomach, his chest felt like a wrung-out sponge.

"Can someone please grab a blanket? Anything warm?"

There was some commotion and Keith finally looked up only to come face to face with a pair of blue eyes and a head of beautiful platinum silver hair. Keith's heart stopped. Everything else fell away and the entire buzz of his mind settled as soon as it recognized her. He gawked at her, gaping with his mouth open and eyes wide like he'd been caught with his pants down or worse...

"He's coming back," he heard her say, watched the words fall from her lips. They parted in a relieved smile and she beamed up at him. "Hello."

Keith croaked, his body shaking, "H-h-hi."

"Stay calm. Do you know where you are? What's your name?"

Keith nodded, though it felt more like his body was just hyperventilating so he settled for attempting to verbalize his understanding. "U-uh y-yeah... the p-p-park? M'name's K-K-Keith..."

Her head bobbed up and down, eyes crinkling in sympathy. He felt something squeeze him softly besides the steady stroking on his back. He glanced down, seeing her arms wrapped close around him and Keith realized then she was dressed in running clothes.

A cerulean long sleeved shirt hugged her skin and strands of her hair stuck to her face, drops of water slid down her brow and down the bridge of her nose. It took far too long for Keith to realize she was also soaking wet.

"Hi, Keith," she said and she breathed it out slow like she was still trying to catch her breath. Someone finally arrived with a blanket and wrapped it around both them. "My name's Allura."

 _I know._ He thought but was cut off when she reached up to press a cold hand over his cheek, fingers gingerly dabbing at his temple. A sharp pain stabbed his head and he groaned, stomach clenching sickly.

"Sorry, sorry!" she apologized, cringing along with him, "I was just checking your head wound. Luckily, it’s not as bad as it looks and probably feels, that I can promise you.”

She looked up, eyes searching the crowd. “Has someone called 9-1-1 yet?"

"Yeah,” a man said. “Paramedics are on their way."

Keith's mind spun again and he slouched into her arms. He heard her gasp before reaching for someone as his mind spun. "Can someone help me with..."

"...eith...Keith?"

Keith blinked and he was sitting on the back of an ambulance, a paramedic held up a thin light up to his eyes and snapped his fingers in his ears. "Keith," the paramedic said, his dark eyes watched his face with a calculating expression. "My name is Shiro. You've been in an accident. Can you tell me your full name and what day it is?"

"Huh?"

Where was she?

Keith glanced around and spotted a trauma blanket wrapped around his body. He couldn't find Allura anywhere.

"Where...where is she?"

Shiro's eyes narrowed before he asked, "Where is who?"

Keith shook his head slowly, feeling drops of water jump from his hair to his cheeks. He looked at the paramedic's feet and saw nothing but white snow. Snow...?

"Allu—the girl who was with me. I still don't know what..."

"Keith, can you tell me what was the last thing you remember?"

"I...I don't..." why did his head hurt so bad?

The memory of falling jolted through him, and he remembered staring up at a blue sky and seeing a figure over the edge of the rail...

Keith looked up at the sky. It stared back with a heavy, gray overcast. Nothing, not even a slight speck of blue stood out from the thick haze of clouds. What happened?

"Keith? Can you tell me your full name?"

His arm hurt. Keith glanced down and saw a blood pressure wrap squeeze around his upper arm, his jacket and hoodie were gone. Keith drew in a shaky breath and he looked into the paramedic's eyes again. "I'm...Keith... Keith Kogane. I—I was pushed."

"Pushed? Who pushed you?"

Keith shook his head and his eyes followed Shiro's blue gloved-covered hands as he pulled out a watch from under his thick jacket and count numbers Keith couldn't tell.

Keith let out a groan when the pressure in his arm spiked before fading slowly. "I—I don't know. I don't know who pushed me. I was just standing on the bridge... looking at the river when something  _hit me..._ "

What the hell was going on? Where was she?

He needed to know. He needed to know more than anything.

"Sir," Keith looked at the paramedic again, spotted a tuft of white hair under his hat contradict the black shaved part of his hair by his ears. It took a moment before he realized there was a long scar over Shiro's nose, crossing laterally from cheek to cheek. Shiro's dark eyes blinked up at him and Keith gathered his nerve. "You have to tell me where she is... I have to know she's okay."

"Who?”

”Allura,” Keith said, feeling the name leave his chest like a pained gasp. Shiro ducked his head down, the hood of his cap covering his expression and he reached into the kit hanging on his hips. 

“Allura,” Shiro repeated, rummaging for gauze and antiseptic. “Nice name. Is she a friend of yours?"

Keith hesitated, unsure how to answer the question. "Y-yeah, she..."

Luckily he was saved from explaining. Over Shiro's shoulder, Keith spotted another paramedic standing a few yards ahead, talking to Allura. She was wrapped in a heavy blanket, lips moving in conversation as she nodded and shifted back and forth on her legs.

As if sensing his attention, she glimpsed over at him before doing a brief double take. Her blue eyes widened before she excused herself and started walking toward him. Keith felt relief course through his limbs. He had a feeling she had more of an idea of what happened.

"Hey, there. How are you doing?" he heard her ask when she was within earshot. Shiro stepped back as she approached and the two of them exchanged a glance as if they'd already met. "You gave me quite a fright there, you blacked out so suddenly."

”Sorry,” Keith said, lips quirking.

Allura beamed at him, “Don’t be. I’m glad you’re coming back to yourself.”

"Ah... thanks..." Keith said, nodding carefully. “Did...were you the one who saved me?”

Allura’s cheeks flushed, heightening the glow of her dark skin. “Ah, yes. I only heard the splash so I didn’t get to see why you fell. But when you didn’t come up for air something just took hold of me and I was jumping in after you.”

Keith’s brows knitted together. “I guess... I don’t think I would’ve drowned though. The water is hardly deep enough for that.”

Her smile faded a little before facing the paramedic. He looked back at her with an unreadable expression. 

"In any case,” Keith said, uncertain how to read their faces. “Thank you... for helping me.”

Allura nodded, lips curving into a bashful smile. “Anyone could’ve done it.”

”But it was you who did it,” Keith shook his head. “I owe you my life.”

Shiro turned to face her, smiling wide. "It’s true. At the very least accept his gratitude. You were clearly meant to be there when he needed you.”

”O-oh,” Allura stammered and he saw one of her hands come up from under her blanket to tug at a damp strand of hair sticking to her cheek. “Very well, then. Y-you’re welcome. But if you don’t mind me asking, what happened?”

Shiro returned to seeing to Keith’s head wound, gently dabbing a cloth that stung and made Keith recoil instinctively. Shiro grabbed him gently by the shoulder to keep him still.

“It seems like he had been pushed over the bridge."

A look of alarm shocked through her face and she looked back at Keith. "Someone pushed you? Did they hit you in the head as well?"

Keith gave a groggy nod, wincing when Shiro pressed a piece of gauze to his temple, taping it to his forehead. "That's all I remember from when it happened... then nothing and then I felt you giving me CPR.”

That explained the soft sensation on his mouth, Keith mused. The realization that she had gotten so close to him left his stomach squeezing and his cheeks flushing. He shrugged it off quickly when he noticed she was staring down at the ground between them.

"How dreadful," Allura shook her head, scowling worriedly as she clenched her blanket further around her body. "All I heard was a loud splash as I was making my morning run by the bridge. But that's so odd... I didn't see you or anyone there while I was jogging."

"You might've missed it all," Shiro supplied helpfully. "If anything, it's extremely lucky you were there at all. He would’ve definitely drowned if it weren't for you. At the very least, he’s only suffering a mild concussion besides having a nasty bump on his head. Bumps heal though, but if you’re feeling ill we can take you to the hospital...”

”Nah,” Keith shook his head. “I’d rather just go home. My roommate used to be a registered nurse so I’ll be in good hands.”

”That’s good to hear,” Shiro said. “Do you have a way to get home?”

”I could drive him,” Allura offered. “My car is close by.”

”Even better,” Shiro began putting his tools onto the back of the ambulance. “In that case, I’ll give you my number. I’ll give you a list of things to do should his condition suffer while you’re taking him home. I don’t think it’ll come to this but if you need help, I could get to you and...”

Keith's body felt heavier as they spoke and he let out a soft groan. He felt a soft hand on his shoulder. When he glanced up, Allura was smiling softly down at him.

"So, how long have you two known each other?" Shiro asked. Keith straightened up and Allura pulled her hand away from his shoulder.

"Oh, uh,” Keith began nervously.

"Oh, no," Allura said at the same time. "This is the first time we've ever met."

Something in Keith went shock still. Slowly, he turned his gaze toward her.  _What?_

Shiro seemed to mirror Keith's surprise, "Really? Based on what Keith had been saying earlier, I figured you two were at least acquaintances."

Allura tilted her chin in confusion. "Uh, sorry? No, I could be wrong...but,” she turned to meet Keith’s gaze. “I don’t think I’ve ever met you before."

Something about her words sank a cold feeling in his gut that had nothing to do with the frigid water and the icy temperature. Keith stared at her, unable to properly digest her words. Had she forgotten? Could she have actually forgotten him? This entire time he'd been agonizing over the kiss she gave him and she had honestly just forgotten?

"Quit joking around," Keith heard himself say, feeling cold and weirdly sober. "I know we aren't exactly friends but come on...we've met before."

Allura's eyes widened in surprise, yet her perplexity didn't leave as she exchanged glances with Shiro. Allura looked uncomfortable all of a sudden. "Sorry, but... what?"

Something else was sinking behind Keith's throat, ready to lash out and bite. "Allura, we've met before. At the party?"

She shook her head, "Pardon?"

Keith's fingers tightened into fists under his blanket. "The party?" he repeated, feeling outrage seep life and clarity into his bones. "Lance's party? On New Years?? We talked for about half an hour before midnight and then you..." he trailed off. His eyes flashed over to Shiro who was staring at him with an arched brow, yet the calculating look didn't leave either. Keith stopped from going any further. He couldn't do it... he couldn't bring it up now.

Allura looked at him in astonishment.

"Whose party? I'm... I'm sorry, but I really don't know who you are... or who this Lance person is. Um..."

Keith's head fell forward, body beginning to shake with hot anger and disbelief. Was this a joke? A prank? Or is this just who she was? Did she think it was okay to just plant her little seed and let it wreck him for the past few weeks? Keith felt disgust curl in his blood and body, fuel him with the desire to stand up and leave everything behind. This was low. No... this was lower than low. He looked back up at her, tuning out the conversation now being had between Shiro and Allura, saw her glance at him with concern. She looked disturbed... confused...

But he can't have gotten the wrong person right? No, he recognized her face. He'd been unable to put it out of his mind for  _weeks._ A twin maybe? But what kind of person names a pair of twins the same exact name? Keith shook his head again, felt something hot burn behind his eyes. He needed to get out of here.

When he glanced back up, both Allura and Shiro had stepped away for a moment talking together in private. Keith glanced around and saw the other paramedic talking to a small crowd of people, all of them had their attention fixed on him. This was it.

Quietly, Keith pushed himself off the back of the ambulance and landed on the ground almost soundlessly. The snow beneath his shoes didn't crunch, feeling icy and hard as if they'd been stomped into blocks of ice over time. He slunk around the side of the ambulance and took off on a quiet run. He didn't care about his jacket or his hoodie. He could get new ones. He just needed to get far away from...from  _her_ as much as possible. He didn't think he could stand looking at her if he saw her again.

The worst part about all of this was the very fact his chest hurt as much as it did. He had only met her once. He had only kissed her once... and whatever this was hurt more than the time he saw Pidge holding Lance's hand for the first time.

"I'm delusional," he muttered to himself, ducking under foliage and heavy brush, cutting through the thickest parts of the park to stay out of sight. "I can't believe this. I cannot believe I let this happen..."

It didn't matter, he thought to himself as his feet sank through snow and slush. It was colder, but the blanket around his shoulders served its purpose well enough. He was glad he had left his keys under the seat of his bike, otherwise, he would've had to walk all the way home. He just wanted to get home and sink under a hot shower and get over whatever this was.

In the distance, he heard people calling out. He picked up the pace. They'll be searching for him now and he didn't want to be found. He just needed to get away.

Keith stumbled over heavy roots and slippery snow, climbing down and then up a steep hill. He didn't have to climb that long, his feet took him up quickly. More snow carved around his pants and Keith felt the cold sink into his legs, biting into his nerves unpleasantly.

"Where the hell did all this  _fucking_ snow come from?" he griped under his breath, panting out puffs of crystallizing heat that disappeared behind him. Had it snowed in this area of town more than where he lived? That's weird. He would've heard of a snowstorm or something come through this area on his way to work. But all of December and January had been painfully dry, trailing short burst of snowfall that barely gathered inches if that.

Keith breathed a sigh of relief when he reached the top of the short yet steep hill.

"Keith!!" he heard behind him and Keith turned around despite himself, hoping to catch a sign of  _her_ through the pine trees and the bushes. He took a few steps back, unsettled and not wanting to get caught anytime soon. His foot slipped on something slippery and Keith gasped as he lost his footing.

Again he found himself falling and Keith felt his body shiver and then tense up in anticipation. It was as if he was suddenly surrounded by nothing by the shock of his fall, everything went strangely quiet until his back landed roughly on the ground.

"OOF!"

Keith's eyes went wide and he felt the pain pierce through his body. The air had been ripped clean from his lungs. Keith gasped and turned onto his side, wheezing and groaning. The blanket beneath him had done nothing to soften his fall and at this rate it was only burdening him.

...when did it get brighter? Keith looked up and saw the sky, stark blue and almost blinding to his eyes.

Keith hurried up to his feet and shook the pain off, stumbling as he realized he had landed roughly on asphalt. He'd been lucky he didn't smack his head into the black rock.

Keith kept walking, walking past startled park visitors as he made his way to the parking lot. The sooner he got to his bike the sooner he could get out of here. His head still ached terribly and something in him told him it wasn't a good idea to be driving around with a potential concussion ruining his mental fortitude, but Keith shrugged that off too.

He walked until he recognized parts of the park and realized that there wasn't any snow on the ground. He felt relieved at that. All that snow must've just been just on that part of the park. He was lucky they didn't move him to the other side of the bridge.

Lucky... he kept thinking that. That he'd been lucky somehow. But nothing was lucky about this. Someone tried to kill him and the person who rescued him and had simultaneously plagued his mind for the past few weeks ended up being a lying, manipulative snake. Nothing about this could ever be considered lucky.

Keith found the parking lot soon after and was pleased to note his bike was parked in the spot he had left it. He didn't slow down and after he got his keys, sliding on the leather seat and tugged his helmet over his head--grunting hard when it agitated the fierce bump on his temple--Keith kicked his bike into life and peeled off into the road, letting the blanket fly off his body behind him.

The first couple of turns were a little too sharp for him, but after some careful maneuvering, Keith managed a steady drive. The steady purr of the engine beneath him did its job in calming him down and keeping him grounded. Keith ignored the cold around him, feeling miserable enough that he knew his body would most likely be suffering his recklessness as soon as he got home.

But he didn't want to think about anything. He didn't want to think about Allura, or the party, or that stupid kiss, or that stupid moment in the park. He was angry... and he could feel his bones countdown to the moment he got back to the apartment.

When he pulled up to his parking spot, Keith ignored the furious yapping of the neighbor’s dog. He swayed as he got off his bike and made up the stairs.

Hunk was awake and pulling the last of Keith's clothes from the dryer when he stumbled through the door, helmet clattering loudly onto the tiled floor in front of him. Keith dropped his keys on the floor as he walked through the doors.

"Hey," he heard Hunk call from the laundry room. "I didn't know you'd be back so soon. Did you have today off or..."

Hunk's voice halted with a sharp gasp. Keith glanced up from the blurry details of the living room, shaking in his soaking clothes and blinking blearily up at him. Hunk stared back, eyes frozen wide in shock and face paling in fright. Something hot trailed down his temple and Keith sighed. Black edged at his vision.  _Shit._

"Hey," he breathed. "I'm..."

His legs crumbled beneath him.

"KEITH!!"

The last thing he saw was Hunk rushing to catch him before his vision was swallowed up in black shadows and the faint memory of Allura's smiling face.

_What a horribly cruel thing to say to him..._


	4. The Timing is Crucial

“Pidge...”

Amber eyes snapped up in wide attention, turning to look at Lance’s deep blue gaze with a look of quiet expectation.

”He’s gonna be okay,” Lance said softly, lifting a hand to beckon her close. “Come sit with me.”

She looked away, ring fingernail wedged between her teeth as she gnawed at it in a fit of unsteady nerves. Lance didn’t drop his arm, though, he just wiggled his fingers a couple of times. She’d glance at them occasionally, but she stayed on her side of the quiet waiting room.

Lance heaved a sigh and pushed himself up to his feet before quietly making his way to her. His hands found her tightened shoulders, thumbs finding well-familiar pressure knots near her shoulder blades. He needed to only give them a few gentle circles before she unwound in his arms, head falling forward where her fingers waited to catch it.

”You know the last time this happened he didn’t get out of the hospital for a week?” Pidge said quietly.

Lance blinked in surprise, “This’s happened before?”

Pidge let go of her temples and leaned back where Lance parted his arms to envelop her. “Well... no. Not like this. Honestly, we don’t even know what happened this time. Hunk’s phone call didn’t do much but freak me out.”

Lance thought back to when they got the call that morning. Pidge had answered as they were both getting ready to go to work and it might’ve been a nice conversation if not for Pidge suddenly shouting in fright. Lance had nearly smacked himself against his dresser in his hurry to get to where she was before she met his gaze, pale and scared.

"Keith came home soaking wet and with a cracked skull?!”

" _Calm down, Pidge,_ ” Hunk’s voice broke through the speakerphone, “ _I didn’t say cracked skull. I’m taking him to the hospital right now—"_

”Which one, I’ll meet you there!”

It took all of a full fifteen minutes to get her to calm down enough not to go rushing to the hospital. The two of them managed to coax her into going to work and visiting Keith later with the promise of quarter-hourly updates and an actual visit to the hospital later should it take longer than a few hours to get any information.

Needless to say, Pidge had been distracted at work and the second Hunk texted her that Keith was being admitted Lance got a call from her, saying,

”I’m going to the hospital. Join me or don’t, but I’m going.”

Lance clocked out early and hurried over to grab her lest she got impatient and got a taxi. (That was an argument over the phone Lance did not want to ever revisit.) The actual drive to the hospital was uneventful save the suffocating tension in the car and the fact Pidge had suddenly taken to praying quietly in the passenger seat. Lance had  _never_ seen her pray before but didn't dare stop her if it helped her feel better.

They met Hunk a few minutes after filing into Balmera Crystal Hospital. He looked properly exhausted and wearing a shirt that looked a couple of sizes small. Lance handed him a shirt that Hunk had requested and a little while after that they were in the hallway by Keith's room.

"What happened to your shirt?" Lance had asked after snickering at Hunk.

"I didn't want to be walking around with blood on my shirt," Hunk replied. It had been a poor choice of words, the two of them realized shortly after Pidge shrieked:

"YOU HAD BLOOD ON YOUR SHIRT?!"

Enter a few minutes of calming down and Hunk had led them to a few chairs where Lance sat and Pidge paced in front of.

"Okay, so you've got to explain what happened, or at least what you know," Lance said, doing his best to speak in a soft voice, eyes trailing back and forth as Pidge moved restlessly. Hunk sighed and shook his head.

"I honestly have no idea what happened," he said, crossing his fingers together and resting his elbows on his knees. "He just... showed up to the apartment like that. Soaking wet and with blood dribbling from a nasty cut on his temple. I could barely get a word out before Keith suddenly passed out and nearly killed himself on the coffee table. I applied what first aid I could before driving him here. That's when I called you guys."

"Pidge," Lance said and she shot him a look. "You said this's happened before. Just like this?"

“No, not _just_ like this...” she trailed off, eyes staring off into the distance before looking at the expectant looks on Hunk and Lance’s face. She let out a sigh and dragged her fingers into her hair.

”It was a weird, situation...”

”Well, we’ve got nothing but time right now,” Lance said, leaning in his chair and crossing his arms. It was obvious this wasn’t part of something he wanted to be too privy to hear. Pidge sent him a despairing look before resuming her pacing.

”Look, I honestly don’t know where to start with it. The whole story requires a follow up explanation.”

”Pidge,” Lance said softly. “We’re here for you too.”

Pidge shook her head and stopped pacing, arms crossing to wrap around her waist. After a long moment, she let out another sigh, slow and deliberate. "Back when Keith and I were...y'know, together, he sometimes would drop off the face of the earth. He'd be traveling between cities, always looking for something. ...He’s never outright said he’s looking for something, but that’s always been this unspoken thing between us. He’d leave and travel, sometimes for days, a few times for weeks on end. He always wrote me and since I was super scared of being in an intimate relationship it just...worked out.

Anyway, you guys know his history. No family, no other close friends. And since we were going steady for a while, he had me added as his emergency contact. I was fine with this... I liked getting letters. Old fashioned and junk, but it was nice. One day I get a call from a hospital from some obscure city an hour away telling me that Keith had suddenly appeared at their front step, bruised and bloodied up like he'd gotten into a fight or something. He could never tell anyone what happened because he said he couldn't remember..."

Hunk and Lance exchanged worried glances before looking back at Pidge. Her shoulders had hunched up.

"It took a couple of days in the hospital and watching out for him for two weeks to get him back to normal..."

Hunk reached over and gently patted one of her hands. "He's going to be okay, Pidge. Honestly, it wasn't that bad. I doubt it's the same thing."

Pidge nodded, wiping at her eyes under her glasses. Lance let out a sigh as he stood up and gathered her in his arms, cradling her head under his chin after pressing a soft kiss to her crown.

"Has he told you anything?" Lance asked.

Hunk rubbed at the back of his head and huffed a deep sigh, "No. Doctors are still running tests and I don't know if he's woken up at all for that. It's a waiting game at this point."

None of them said more after that, keeping to themselves and wondering about the odd circumstance that left their friend in dire straits. Pidge kept chewing at a fingernail and Hunk walked off to buy himself a canned coffee. Lance and Pidge parted after a while, knowing she would need space to think about what she needed to.

After a while, Lance couldn’t help but worry about his fiancé. He had never seen her this worried before and little jolts of jealousy and envy aside, he had to be here for her.

Trying to coax her to sit had been impossible, that much he knew after she refused to move toward a chair. Lance would need to go to her.

So he did. He stood and cradled her in his arms as she tried to keep from fussing too noticeably and when he was certain she was going to leave her fingernail a chewed up mess, Lance opted to pressing soft kisses on her head and cheeks.

”I know you’re worried,” Lance said, weaving his arms around her waist and bringing her in close. He was pleased to note she was all too ready to arch up into his chest and accept his gentle kissing. “But we’ll find out what happened. He’s in a safe place right now, getting the best help he can get, okay? It’s gonna be alright.”

Pidge’s honey colored eyes flickered back and forth over his, seeking out something he wasn’t sure he had the answer to, but he tried his best at being supportive. In the end, that was all she needed.

Pidge blinked away frustrated tears as she let Lance kiss them away, and for a moment she found herself able to breathe. Slow and steady. 

* * *

The rhythmic beeping by his head was the annoying thing that woke him. Just that damn sound. Over and over again. The same noise in a constant loop of...

Keith's eyes fluttered open. A white ceiling loomed overhead and he blinked at the jarring bright morning light from the windows... did he forget to close the blinds?

Keith rose a hand to his face, reaching to wipe the grit in his eyes when he spotted the source of pressure on his ring finger—a pulse oximeter and he realized he wasn’t home in his bed.

Keith shot up on the hospital bed, and his skull protested so harshly he let out a choked groan and collapsed back on the pillows under him. The pain was odd; muted, yet concentrated on a spot over his temple. Immediately he felt a surge of nausea overtake him and if he had the energy he might’ve doubled over and puked over the side of the bed.

It must’ve been ages until the spell of dizziness and nausea faded enough for Keith to so much as move. His entire body began to complain and Keith took pained note of all he felt.

What the hell happened?

His throat ached terribly, as if he hadn’t had anything to drink in days. His mouth was also parchy and dry. His neck hurt, his back aches and his sternum shot jolts of discomfort all throughout his ribs. At the very least his lower half wasn’t bothering him...

When he felt strong enough, Keith let his body stretch where he could. It was odd, in a way, how conscious he was of his own limbs. His body felt heavy, but it wasn’t all bad.

...he could do without that beeping though...

Keith reached again for his face, ignoring the pulse oximeter on his finger as he rubbed sleep sand from his eyes. With his strength and mental fortitude slowly returning, Keith allowed himself another glance at the room.

Everything was clean and uniform, a white board with a few names of nurses and the title of a hospital he’d never heard of was watermarked into the shiny surface.

So, Hospital for sure then. 

He glanced to his side when he heard snoring and it was hard to not do a double take.

Sure enough, there he was; the hunched figure of his roommate, Hunk. The big guy was passed out on a chair just a foot away from the bed, head tilted back and mouth fully parted, a thin stream of drool falling from his mouth down his chin.

Keith blinked a few times, surprised to see Hunk practically spilling out of the tiny hospital chair without sign of discomfort. A closer look revealed bigger details and unearthed smaller ones. Sure Hunk was sleeping, but there were light bags under his eyes and an exhaustion that surrounded him despite his slumbering state. Keith felt his chest tug with guilt and concern.

Keith made to sit up again but felt a sudden pulsing in his head that drew a sharp gasp from his throat and had him retreat further on the overly stuffed pillows beneath his back and neck. Keith groaned, reaching up to the source of the pain in his skull when he felt a series of bandages and gauze wrapped around his head.

Keith lifted a tentative hand, gingerly applying force to the bandages and hissing sharply when sharp pain radiated from a spot on his temple. His chest suddenly protested, sharp needles of pain that stabbed around the area on his sternum and into his ribs.

He felt sluggish, like he had been forced to run miles past his limit. It was an awful feeling and reminded him too much of that time he had woken up in a hospital bed with no memory as to why back when he and Pidge were dating.

"mmmm...” Hunk suddenly groaned, head snapping up and blinking blearily. “...Keith?"

Keith pulled his hand away from his head just in time to see Hunk straighten in his seat and lean over the hospital bed, his hand reaching for his. Keith jumped when Hunk let out a huge sigh of happiness.

"You're awake!" Hunk exclaimed and Keith groaned in response.

"Oh god, don't do that," Keith said, wincing. Everything ached.

"Sorry," Hunk said, wiping the back of his hand on his mouth. He gave Keith's hand a firm squeeze before retreating. "How're you feeling? You scared the living crap out of me, dude. What the hell happened to you?"

"Whoa, Hunk," Keith said, lifting his hands to slow him down. "One question  at a time, dude. I don’t think I can manage... yeah."

Hunk nodded sagely, "Fair enough. Let's start with, how're you feeling?"

"Like shit."

Hunk nodded again but this time with a smile, "That's to be expected considering the size of that bloody goose egg on the side of your skull."

Hunk jerked his chin in regards to the bandages around Keith's head. Keith reached a hand and gingerly touched the sensitive spot again and he hissed when the single graze shot lightning through his head. And not the good kind either.

"Okay, follow up," Hunk said, resting his weight on his elbows. "But maybe it's fair if I answer a question of yours first."

Keith sighed in relief, "Yeah. Mine's a two-parter. One, can you get me some water?"

"Oh, yeah, dude, totally," Hunk said, all but jumping to his feet and heading over to the nearest rolling table where a pitcher and a plastic cup sat innocently on its surface. Just the sight of the water pouring into the cup made Keith's throat clench with anticipation. Keith reached with an eager hand and didn't hesitate to down the contents as soon as Hunk passed the cup into his fingers.

"Slowly," Hunk advised. "You've been given medicine for pain but one of the side effects is nausea. I don't want you puking your guts out on me so soon."

"Noted," Keith said, slowing down after a gulp. The taste of the water wasn't spectacular but it felt great to have something sliding down his throat and reviving him. Keith pushed himself further up, noting some of his strength returned a bit and he didn't feel his head pound so hard. "Pain meds? The hell did they give me?"

"Morphine, I think... and this other one that sounded fancy. Second question?"

Keith stated a Hunk for a moment, confused, before remembering. “Oh...uh, yeah. What happened to me...?”

Hunk pursed his lips. “I was hoping you’d answer that. You came home soaking wet and bleeding from your forehead. Definitely have a concussion and apparently the doctor’s said you have some minor rib fractures on your chest consistent with CPR compressions. Did you almost drown or something?”

Keith rubbed his forehead, his body felt so off now that he knew he was on drugs.

”I don’t... remember... I think so?”

A long pause took breath between them and Keith was grateful Hunk stayed quiet in that moment. It wasn’t much but it helped Keith reorient himself a bit.

After some time Keith made a beckoning motion with his free hand, "Okay, you had some questions, so fire away."

Hunk said nothing until Keith glanced up. For the first time, Hunk looked more nervous than eager to find out what happened. "What? Hunk, what is it?"

"Nah, man, it's just... I'm just... okay, first thing's first. You've been in the Hospital for a couple of days."

The sound of Keith's cup slipping from his grasp and hitting the bed before clattering to the ground followed. Hunk yelped and hurried to clean up the spill. Keith stared at him when he stood up, muttering about calling someone to clean up the mess when it hit him.

"A couple of days—Hunk,  _what?"_

"Well," Hunk said quickly, "Not exactly two days. You were admitted yesterday morning after I drove you. You were out cold all day and all night while the doctors checked you. You got hit pretty hard in the head and they were saying some stuff that really freaked me out. So I called Pidge and—"

Keith's insides froze. "You  _called Pidge?!"_

Hunk floundered despairingly, "Yes, I called Pidge, okay? I was freaking out and I didn't know what to do. She and Lance are out right now grabbing breakfast before they come back."

Keith's knees rose to his chest as he slumped his head in his hands, "This can't be happening."

"She was really scared, Keith," Hunk said softly.

"Of course she was, she's my ex-girlfriend, Hunk," Keith said into his palms. "Of course she's going to be scared that I got admitted to the hospital. This isn't the first time she—“

Keith stopped talking when he realized what he was about to say. To his luck, Hunk said nothing and let him stew over this entire ordeal. How could it get so messed up?

"Okay, you gotta tell me, dude," Hunk said after a moment and Keith heard the chair he had been sitting in let out a squeak as it was shifted closer to the bed. "Do you remember anything? About what...happened to you?"

Keith pulled his hands away from his face, leaving him to stare down at his palms. For a moment his mind gave him flashes, vague memories that made no sense but began to compile the further Keith allowed his mind to gather the information. His head ached at the effort but he soldiered on. It was the answer to a question he also needed.

"I... honestly don't know," Keith said. "I remember I went to a park to clear my head. I've been so...stressed lately. I don't remember much except I walked to a bridge and I decided to just chill near the rail. I was just...there for a bit when I heard something. I don't know what I heard but it made me look up and suddenly I felt something  _hit_  me."

Keith lifted a hand to his head, not daring to touch the wound under the bandages. "Next thing I knew I was falling over the bridge, and I looked up and--"

_Blue. Stark blue and the strangest thing. A shadow. A blur of a figure. Someone watching him as he fell to his doom. then..._

"Suddenly, I hit water and I can't remember anything after that except I felt someone grab me and then I guess gave me CPR?"

_Lips, soft and firm against his, pressing air into his chest. Filling him so unpleasantly. The touch though, it sent something hot through his body. Like a wave of electricity or something stranger._

"Next thing I know I'm puking my guts out and then there's this..."  _Allura. Her name was Allura, and she was soaking wet and shaking and gasping but she was smiling at him. Her smile and expression left him speechless. He couldn't forget her even if he wanted to._ "...person, who helped me and some people were there and then I was in an ambulance? Some dude named Shiro was helping me. Then I ran off and headed towards my bike and then I drove to the apartment and that's it."

Hunk scowled, "wait, you had paramedics helping you and you just ran off? Why? You were in good hands."

"I had to get out of there," Keith said and his voice was small. "I don't know why but nothing they were saying made any sense. They said I could've drowned or whatever but that river had no water in it, and this... person... the one who saved me... they freaked me out."

"Freaked you out?" Hunk cocked his head. "What do you mean?"

Keith let out a sigh and drooped back onto his pillows, the beeping sound was still ongoing. Keith glanced up and saw the hospital’s heart monitor. Realized the beeping sound was the repetition of his own heartbeat. Keith frowned.

"I don't know," Keith said and he looked away. "I got hit pretty bad in the head...honestly, it’s really hard to even put words together right now."

“Yeah, sorry,” Hunk said quietly. “You should rest. The doctors said you should be here another night just in case. They aren’t worried much about the chest fractures but want to keep an eye on you for that head injury.”

”’Kay...” Keith murmured, feeling a wave of exhaustion lull him into a drowsy and floating sensation. He must have passed out some time after that because when he woke up again, Hunk was gone.

* * *

He was in and out throughout the day. Passing out and waking up to Hunk pacing in his room or a nurse coming in to check up on him.

At one point he woke up to hear Pidge’s voice nearby, sounding tense and angry. Lance’s voice interjected, attempting to sound calm and collected. They were arguing.

About what, Keith didn’t know, his body wasn’t letting him open his eyes and tell them to knock it off. Sometime later though, they must’ve quit arguing. He felt something soft stroke his hair before he was falling asleep again.

He dreamt of Red. Of feeling her jumping onto his lap and purring loud enough for him to want to reach down and scratch her ears even as he slept. It filled his heart with a new pain, and Keith felt tears well up in his eyes and trickle into his scalp and over his ears. He saw her eyes, wide and golden and beautiful. 

He felt her speak to him without words. She never needed to.

Just when Keith felt like he could understand her, like he knew exactly what she was trying to tell him...

he woke up.

and he was alone in his room save for one person.

Keith’s chest suddenly tightened at the sight of familiar silver hair, tied in a braid over her shoulder. Even dressed in hospital scrubs she looked like a dream, beautiful and elegant...

He didn’t want to see her.

”Have you slept well?”

Her voice cut through the growl growing in his throat. He narrowed his eyes at her and flared even as she turned her attention from looking out the window to look at him. Her blue eyes appraised him, there was recognition in her gaze. Keith refused to answer her.

”Do you know who I am?” She asked. Keith’s glare darkened and he felt his fingers tighten into fists over the heated blanket cover his body.

She stared at him a moment longer before sighing. She took a few steps close until she was by his bed.

”You must have questions,” she said, voice soft.

”Leave.”

She smiled, soft and warm, despite the hidden fury in his voice.

”I don’t think I’ll get used to this.” 

Keith tried not to appear curious by her odd words. He shoved it all away. He wanted her gone. Where was that button to call the nurse?

”Keith,” she said. “Do you know who I am?”

”Why?” He shot back. “Do you?”

Her lips pursed in mild confusion before realization dawned on her face. She rolled her eyes, “Right, of course. The river... you did say this would get complicated.”

”What are you talking about?” Keith asked. No. Stop. He didn’t care. “Look, could you just go? I don’t want to see you.”

”Really?” She cocked her head at him, “Even after saving your life?”

”What do you want, a ‘thank you’?” He said. “I already said that, but I guess you have no problem casually forgetting about people you go around kissing at parties.”

Her eyes blinked wide in surprise, “I...what?”

Keith tore his gaze away, “Unbelievable. I can’t believe this.”

”Hold on,” she said and she took another step, standing by the side of his bed. She was close enough to touch. Or shove. “I kissed you? Recently? When?”

Keith felt incredulity swallow him whole as he stared up at her. She looked back at him, attention sharp and focused on him. As if waiting for his exact words.

”Is this what you do? You kiss someone and then disappear only to reappear and pretend that you’ve never met them before? Are you honestly this cruel?”

She frowned, pushing away and looked down at the bed. She didn’t look embarrassed or guilty like Keith hoped she did. If anything, her eyes flicked back and forth, as if she were trying to remember something important. Finally, her head snapped up, eyes landing on his with complete understanding.

”The New Year’s Party...” she said. “I remember now... you told me about that...” suddenly she reached over and grabbed his hand. Keith gave a small jump of surprise, taken aback her sudden  closeness.

”Keith, I know that you must be feeling confused, but I can explain... probably not as much as you want, but I want you to know how sorry I am.” Her eyes fell to where she held his hand, expression looking terribly saddened. “I never realized how much you’ve suffered because of me...”

Keith stared at her, stunned as she looked into his eyes again and found tears welling in her gaze.

”I’m going to make this up to you, I promise you.”

The sound of the door beginning to open startled them both. Keith looked at her as she swore under her breath and looked back at him. 

“I will find you again, and I’ll tell you everything. Wait for me, okay?”

”What are yo—“ his words were cut off when she suddenly surged forward, her palms gathered around his face and her lips pressed against his.

Keith’s snapped wide open in shock closing only when her passion burned into his mouth and left him feeling frazzled. She broke away before he could so much as react and pressed her forehead to his.

“Wait for me.”

Keith’s mind scrambled after her, but he couldn’t even call out her name as she hurried out of the room.

”Good evening!” Allura said cheerily as Hunk walked in, carrying a plastic bag with take-out.

”Oh, hello,” Hunk said smiling as she walked past. He walked in to see Keith staring out the door, dumbfounded. “Oh good you’re awake! I brought some food! I wasn’t sure what I could bring or what you can handle so I just brought soup and sandwiches! You like chicken noodle, right? Because I also brought tomato soup and grilled ch—Keith?”

Keith blinked back at Hunk, and suddenly Hunk’s smile fell to one of concern.

”You okay...? You look like you saw a ghost.”

Keith stared at him, and for the first time he was torn between spilling everything and trying to come to terms with help or trying to figure this out on his own.

Keith looked away and stared at his hands, his eyes focused over where she had grabbed him, is if trying to find proof that she had touched him.

His lips still tingled and his heart was racing, and all this... it left him in a disarray. Should he tell him? Should he wait? Try to find her again? Keith had no idea what to do.

”I...” Keith said, swallowing. “I don’t know...”

and that was the biggest kicker of all.


	5. Start the Timer

The only thing in his ears was an odd sort of ringing. Muffled... displaced. As if it wasn't really there aside from the fact that it was... in a way. In a far off... detached sort of way.

 

_Keith..._

 

_Golden eyes peered up at him, speaking a length of time filled with meaning that words could not express._

 

_Keith..._

 

_It was an odd dream. The kind that tickles your mind with inches of reflection that offer no explanation or understanding. Just odd curiosities._

 

_Keith... do you remember where you are?_

 

He blinked and sucked in a breath.

 

_Keith, do you--_

_"--_ have any questions?"

"Huh?"

The ringing stopped and Keith looked around, disoriented. At the foot of his bed stood Hunk, looking at him with concern, eyes crinkled with worry. Keith's eyes fluttered and he felt a twinge of discomfort in his chest. He didn't remember absentmindedly rubbing at the ache in his sternum until he pulled his hand away. Next to Hunk is a woman--no, nurse. She's pretty. Tan skin and golden hair swept into a bun. Her eyes were green though. She looked nothing like her.

"Do you have any questions?"

Keith cleared his throat and sat up. "...About... what?"

"You're getting discharged today," Hunk said slowly. "From the hospital. You just signed the discharge papers."

"Oh," Keith said and found himself nodding. "Yeah, no I know that I..." he trailed off to see the nurse give him a cautious look. He knew that look. He'd learned to recognize it when the nurses and Hunk debated keeping him in the hospital a day longer. An itch in his legs spread into his chest and shoved spikes of anxiety into his nerves. There's no way he could handle being stuck in bed under extreme watch for another day. He'd been in this place for longer than he'd like to be.

"Sorry," he said with an awkward cough--and immediately winced. No coughing. Coughing makes his chest shriek at him. "I spaced out for a second."

"That's fine," the nurse said. "You're more than welcome to stay for a bit longer."

"No." 

He must've said it too quickly because Hunk gave him a smile and Keith shook his head. "No, I'm... I'm ready to go back home. Besides, I'll be in good hands. Hunk's a registered nurse. Well, kinda."

"Was," Hunk said quickly when the nurse gave him a curious look. "I... well, actually... not really...? I mostly got my certification. I could never remember the important names for like... you know, medicine. The point is I mostly know what I'm doing..."

The nurse said something in response that must've been empathetic but Keith quickly lost interest. He moved to push his legs off the hospital bed and get on his feet. His head felt much better after the amount of sleeping he got, but the drugs in his system were irritating in how they made him feel sluggish. Despite the slight discomfort in his chest--some fractures on his ribs and sternum as well as other bruises on his body--Keith wasn't very grateful for the painkillers. He wanted back home and he wanted a reason to get back to work as soon as possible.

The chatter between Hunk and the nurse quickly ended when Keith straightened on his feet, watching carefully. Keith shrugged off their staring as he focused on wiggling his toes and steadying himself on his legs. So far so good... He brought a hand up to scratch an itch in his eye and ended up glaring at Hunk when the big guy thought Keith was getting dizzy again. Hunk backed off and Keith let out another slow breath.

"Where're my clothes?" 

"Right here." Hunk extended a plastic back of carefully folded clothes. Keith took them, trying not to look as anxious as he felt in wanting to get out of his hospital gown. "Do you want me to help?"

"I think I can handle this much on my own," Keith said, quirking his lips in a wry smile. "I'm not an invalid yet, Hunk."

Hunk shrugged but looked pleased even if Keith was being sarcastic. Keith waited for nothing else as he walked towards his bathroom and relished the private moment away from the nurse and Hunk's careful watching. Once the door shut though, Keith caught the sound of a piece of conversation that made him freeze from pulling the string on his gown.

"Sorry about being weird about this, but he seems to be pretty desperate," Hunk's voice filtered through the wood of the door. Almost indistinguishable. Keith pressed his ear against the door. "I don't think I've seen him that... well... like  _that_ ever."

"I understand," the nurse replied kindly. "But I assure you, Mr. Garrett, we don't have any staff in this hospital that match the description that Keith gave us. A woman with dark skin and platinum blonde hair would stand out anywhere, not just here."

Hunk let out a slow sigh. Keith pushed away from the door, eyebrows pulling into a dark scowl.

"Look, I know he's not hallucinating. I saw the same lady, too. Are you sure you guys don't have some new resident you may not know about?"

"All I can tell you is what I know and after I asked around. There is no woman by the name of Allura who works here or one who looks anything like what you both described. We had security check the entire hospital. Even our security footage showed no sign of her. That's all I can disclose at this moment."

Nothing about this made sense... but, at least, Keith wasn't the only one who saw her. Having Hunk as his witness had been enough to keep him from spiraling and thinking he really was going insane. Keith sucked in another breath and proceeded to change out of the hospital clothes. In no time at all, Keith was back in black jeans, his black shirt, and his favorite red flannel shirt that he liked to roll up to the elbows. All of it smelled of clean laundry detergent and not for the first time was Keith glad he had Hunk as his roommate. The guy was more thoughtful than anyone else he ever knew. He tugged on his chucks last and felt another surge of gratitude when he found his fingerless biker gloves in the pockets of his jeans. He was going to have to buy Hunk something nice for this.

Stepping out of the bathroom, Keith blinked in surprise to note that the nurse had been replaced by a head of ginger-brown hair. Honey-colored eyes whirled around behind a pair of large spectacles before being dwarfed by a large and dazzling grin.

"You're alive!"

Keith snorted even while he extended his hands out. Pidge hurried in to sink into his embrace, rearing back when she practically slammed into his arms and Keith let out a pained grunt.

"Crap--sorry! I got excited," Pidge said as she pulled away and pressed her hands to his sides, gingerly prodding at the bandages under his shirt. "How're the ribs?"

"If they weren't broken before they are now." Pidge pulled back and smacked him on the arm. Keith recoiled playfully, hiding a wince behind his arm. "Ow."

"Alright, you big baby," Pidge said. Keith met her sneer with a wrinkle of his nose. She giggled and sunk back into his arms, gentler this time. "I was really worried, you jerk."

"Yeah, yeah," Keith said, pulling his hand through her hair and caressing her head. "You've failed to mention that for the twelve hundredth time."

Pidge pulled back to glare up at him, "Don't get snarky, Kogane."

Keith grinned down and Pidge stepped back and out of his grip. He tried to keep himself from holding on to her for a little longer, so he settled on tugging his hands in his pockets. "Where's Lance?"

"Waiting in the lobby," Hunk answered, throwing a thumb at the door. "Said he wanted to see you back in your every day look instead of that hospital gown."

"What a guy," Keith said, shaking his head but his smile didn't falter. Knowing Lance, the poor idiot was probably pacing his own nerves away from the eyes of their friends. "Alright, I think I'm ready to go."

"You want us to grab a wheelchair?" Hunk asked, jerking a thumb at the door. His offer was met with an exasperated scowl and Hunk grinned openly at that. "Yeah, yeah, you don't gotta pull my arm. Let's get outta here."

Keith let out a slow sigh. He glanced down to meet Pidge's expectant gaze and shook his eyes with a roll of his eyes. Pidge met his teasing grin with one of her own.

"Want me to go on ahead?"

Keith felt relief pour through his body, his smile straining. "You're okay with that...?"

"Yeah," Pidge said, lifting a shoulder in a shrug. He realizes then just how pretty she looks, with a black long sleeve blouse that hangs off her wrists and covers her knuckles, a simple green skirt over black tights and her boots. Her hair's been tied in a braid that rests around that shrugging shoulder and she's even got a little bit of lip color that makes her mouth glimmer some. A small tug of nostalgia very nearly distracts Keith from the rest of her comment and he snaps out of it before he's tugged down a rabbit hole he's not ready to venture in. "Lance is probably more worried than he'll show. Gotta go hold his hand."

"You'd think you were the one who got thrown off a bridge," Keith replied with a snort, reaching up to tug at Pidge's bangs. Pidge flicked his fingers away and she stuck her tongue out at him. "See you there."

"Don't die on the way down, kay?"

"Well, now I gotta."

Pidge gave a despairing sigh and shook her head, "Oy, just hurry on down."

Keith's lips quirk up as she turned and walked out of the hospital room after Hunk opened the door and let her out. He watched after her for a moment before he looks at Hunk and swallowed.

"You didn't tell her about..." Keith trailed off. Hunk's eyes brightened up after a brief moment of confusion before he nodded.

"Oh, no way," Hunk said. "I figured that's not something you want to be broadcasted. Besides, it's such a weird situation, you know? I mean, I get it being something you totally made up because you've got a concussion--"

"Hey."

"--But I saw her, too." Hunk rubbed his hand against his neck as he tugged a thumb into his belt. "I mean... I think I did."

Keith's eyes pulled away from his friend to stare in the direction of the window. Even now, he cannot push the feeling away, the rush of emotions that filled him when he'd seen her standing there. The way she had pulled into his space like she was nothing less than a meteor crashing through. The kiss she pressed to his mouth and left the anger dispelling like stardust and forcing his eyes to close and his hands to flinch, as if needing to grip and hold on to the fleeting moment just a second longer.

_Wait for me._

Something in his head ached when he remembered that.

_"Wait for me."_

Keith let out a sharp breath through his teeth and he reached up to the strange pain pressing against his skull.

_"I will find you again."_

"Keith? Whoa, hey, what's going on?"

_"I'm..."_

Keith let out a groan and suddenly felt Hunk grab him.

"Dude, what's wrong? Talk to me, do you want me to call a nurse?"

His chest felt tighter than before and there's a flash of something behind his eyes that he couldn't comprehend before he swore he was choking. "Air... I really need some fresh air right now."

"You got it, buddy."

They moved slowly as Keith pressed his palm to his head, ignoring what other worried words Hunk spilled around him. After some time though, Hunk seemed to have stopped the stream of worried questions and he felt another pair of hands grab him around his opposite arm. Time seemed to go at an odd pace and Keith tried hard to shake the sensation away until...

A chill breeze struck into his chest and the pain and disorientation disappeared in the breath he exhaled before shivering. Clarity coursed through him just as relief sunk into his bones and Keith let out a grateful sigh that clung to his throat until it escaped in a bubble of incredulous laughter.

"There we go," he heard Hunk next to him, patting him on the back. "That's much better yeah?"

Keith nodded and blinked against the sharp brightness of the bright wintery day. The sky was a deep blue, dotted by clouds and embellished by the skyline of the town ahead. They must've climbed to the roof... He didn't remember any stairs so an elevator seemed like the best bet. Keith didn't care though. The sensation was gone and despite the pain in his chest from the tight cold now squeezing through his lungs, it was a huge relief.

"Yeah," he said, teeth clattering just slightly. Bright sunlight dug into his clothes, surrounding him in the sensation of warmth and cold all around. It was jarring. It was also revitalizing somehow. He turned and gave Hunk a smile, one his friend returned even if it was worried. "Much better."

Hunk squeezed his shoulder before clapping him gently, "Alright, let's get you back in. Don't want to catch your death out here."

Keith huffed and then he realized the pair of hands holding him. He turned and met the gaze of a well-natured nurse smiling at him.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay longer?" the nurse asked.

"Yeah," Keith said and he forced his gaze away when the color of her scrubs dared remind him of  _her_ again. "Yeah, I'm going crazy here."

"Let's get going then," Hunk said.

Back inside, Keith is told over and over again to take it easy and to move slow. His chest wasn't so much a concern as his head right now and after that latest episode the nurse encouraged him to at least sit by on a nearby couch while they grabbed a doctor to make sure he was fit to leave. Despite his irritation at having been told to stay a bit longer, Keith obeyed and sat down.

"Sorry, bud," Hunk said as the nurse disappeared. "But you know, better safe--"

"Than sorry. Yeah," Keith sighed. "I know... it's just... these damn walls."

"Yeah," Hunk said. "I get it. I'd be itching to leave, too."

The two shared a silence for a moment before Hunk shifted on his feet and let out a long sigh, "You cool sitting here?"

"Yeah."

"Great. I'm gonna go and let Pidge and Lance know what's going on. Just... tell them the Doctor wants to be sure you're good to go."

Keith leaned his elbows on his knees, groaning. "Yeah, because that's not going to worry them any more than they are already... I'll be fine. Tell them, I won't be much longer."

"I will. Sit tight," Hunk said and Keith glanced up to watch him turn and leave down the hallway and in the direction of the nearest staircase. Keith blinked curiously when he saw bright sunlight burst from behind the door Hunk disappeared behind before it swung back and hissed closed. A window?

Keith turned his head back in the direction of the nearest reception desk and found it empty. The distant sounds of oxygen monitors beeping echoed gently through the walls and sometimes half-open doors of other people resting within hospital rooms. Keith tapped his fingers together for a while as he waited before slowly straightening up and groaning when his chest protested. He leaned his back on the couch and winced. This wasn't comfortable.

He stood, grumbling when the pull of his abdomen seemed to reach into his chest and pull. That was slightly worse. But no worse than the slow anxiety building in his chest when the seconds ticked away and no one showed up.

"Just be patient," he mumbled, reaching up to scratch at his eyes. "Someone'll show up soon and then they'll see I'm fine and next thing you know I'll be in Hunk's car and we'll be driving home... yep."

Seconds ticked away and Keith began to pace, pulling at the hospital band around his wrist or yanking at the loose threads of his shirt. It wasn't doing much better and after a moment, Keith paused and let out an aggravated sigh. Careful though, not too hard to piss off his already aching chest. Keith scowled and looked back up at the staircase door, tempted to just throw caution to the wind and find Hunk anyway.

"It's been long enough," he said. He'll just tell them what he's pretty sure the Doctor will say. Keith glanced back at the reception desk and walked a few feet to peer behind it. No one there. Odd.

"Whatever," Keith grunted as he turned and walked toward the staircase door.

_Keith..._

He paused for a moment, his hand resting on the knob. Keith blinked before glancing around. 

In the distance, oxygen monitors beeped. He frowned before looking back at the door.  _I need sunlight._

He turned the knob and shoved the door open, feeling the welcome tug of warmth splash over his shoes and pants from the window ahead. The staircase was surprisingly warm despite the chill of the outside and Keith figured it had to do with the bright sunlight pouring inside and bouncing off the concrete. It was like walking into a hug or something similar. Keith breathed slowly as he pulled himself toward the window and leaned his hands on the concrete sill. 

The view wasn't as spectacular like it had been on the roof. The glass had the slightest tint of green to its edges that stole from the radiant blue from the sky, but nonetheless was still pleasant. Behind him, the door hissed shut before clicking shut. In this concrete space, the sound of the door clicking echoed like a loud bang before disappearing into nothingness. Keith placed a hand on the window, musing. Of course, it was freezing cold and immediately the glass around his skin began to fog over with a slim film. Keith pulled his hand away, staring at the imprint he'd left behind before he heard a soft noise behind him.

Keith turned...

And felt his heart jump to his chest.

"Keith."

Keith backpedaled with a yelp that echoed around them, hoping that he was just seeing things, that there was no way she was there. But there she was.

Allura.

"What the hell?!" Keith exclaimed, almost tripping over his shoes as his back slammed into the concrete wall behind him. He hissed when the pain jolted into his chest, but his eyes remained opened and focused in horror. He was hallucinating, he must be. Allura stood on the third step leading upstairs, staring down at him with an expression too unreadable for him to describe. Her hair was down, platinum silver hair cascading around her shoulders and caressing her cheeks. Instead of the scrubs, though, she was wearing a brown trenchcoat and holding on to something that looked like a jacket to her chest.

"I'm hallucinating," Keith said, breathing hard. "You're not real."

"I'm not?" she asked, cocking her chin. She took a step down and Keith jolted further away, cornering himself against the frigid glass and the hard concrete. "Keith, calm down..."

"N-no," Keith said, shaking his head quickly and not bothering to regret it when it made his headache. Her lips turned into a frown the more he rejected her. "No. You're insane. Or maybe I am, but every time I see you, I swear I must be. Just--look just stay the hell away from me, alright? I've had enough of this."

"Don't you have questions?" Allura asked and took another step down. Keith's eyes jumped to the stairs leading down, but by the time he'd decided to attempt the escape, she was already on the same level as him and partially blocking his escape route. "Keith..."

" _Stop_ saying my name!" Keith snapped, fixing her with a furious glare. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"I'm not going to hurt you," Allura said slowly, and its then that he can see the alarm in her eyes, but something else... something like pain and sadness... something like the expression he saw in her eyes late that night, weeks ago... when the sky was lit up by fireworks and the world was busy celebrating the passing of time. "I just want to talk to you... Please."

Keith deliberated bulldozing past her until she looked away and stared down at the jacket on her arms. "Do you know what this is?"

Keith blinked, staring at her like she'd lost her mind. Allura glanced up at him before lifting her arms and gesturing to the jacket again.

"This."

"It's a jacket," Keith said quickly. "So what?"

Allura's lips tightened into a line before she drew in a slow breath. "It... does it look familiar?"

"Why would it look familiar?"

Silver brows knitted over her eyes together before she pulled one of her hands out from under the jacket to pinch the bridge of her nose. "This isn't going to be easy at all..."

Keith didn't dare move or question what she was saying, his mind working overtime to try his chances at escaping, yet there was also something about all this that piqued something else within him. Like some morbid curiosity that couldn't help but glue his feet to the ground and remind him that this wasn't anything usual or regular. Finally, he could feel something other than panic in his heart and he allowed it in, at least just enough for him to buy himself some time.

"Look, why don't you just tell me who you are and why the hell you keep acting like a crazy person?"

"Crazy person?" Allura's head snapped up, eyes wide and offended. " _I'm_ the crazy person?"

"How else would you describe a person who kisses you out of nowhere  _twice_ and after pretending they know nothing about you?" Keith said, voice tight and defensive. "Do you have any idea how much time I spent thinking about you only to have you shoot me down by that little display of yours in the park? Is that your play here?"

"Play?" Allura repeated, mouth parting in shock. "Hold on, what are you going on about?"

"That's what I'd like to ask you!" Keith pushed himself away from the wall, inching towards the staircase. "Why are you messing with me like this?"

"I'm...!" Allura began before cutting herself off, eyes crinkling shut tight and lips wobbling with emotion. It's so abrupt, Keith forgot to seize the chance to run. Instead, he stared at her as her shoulders sag and she sighed. "Just... look at this...  _try_ to remember."

Keith watches her with a guarded look as she grabbed on to the jacket in her arms and extended it. She held it up by the shoulder seams, slender fingers pinching at the weathered leather. Keith is momentarily confused as he looked at the jacket before glancing back up at her. It's not until he looked back at the leather that something in him clicked with familiarity.

"This is," Keith said before blinking in surprise. He looked back at her, curious at the open look in her eyes before looking at the jacket. There's nothing special about the jacket besides the fact that it looks old and a bit battered. As if it'd been left alone for a couple of years. It's black and looked like your typical bike jacket... and then his eyes caught sight of something red sewn into the sleeve. A small red square...

Keith took a step forward, hand stretched outward before grabbing on to the sleeve. He twisted the fabric before he was greeted by confirmation of that little red square near the cuff of the sleeve. He knew that square. Pidge had placed it there at one point when the leather had broken...

"My bike jacket," Keith said, scowling. He looked back up at Allura and found her staring at him with intent. "Wait... hold on, how do you have this? I left it back at the park."

"Two years ago," Allura said. Keith blinked, confused. "Two years ago, you fell into the Juniberry river. That was the first time I met you... but not the first time you met me."

A distinct ringing sound began in the back of his mind as if his ears had been plugged in just as she said so. The echo of the staircase didn't even seem to register and Keith felt something else click within his mind. Allura reached up and gathered his hand that was suddenly gripping tight to his sleeve. Her touch was gentle and cool and it was so different from the warmth in the room, Keith was certain he had started to choke on the heat.

"This is your bike jacket," Allura said, and then she let go of his hand to pull into one of his pockets. "I've been holding on to it for the past two years to give it to you at this moment..." Inside was an old shriveled yellow paper that she pulled out. He had it between his fingers before he could understand why, but he saw it. It was the letter his neighbor had left him, wrinkled and stained and weathered by time but unmistakably the same letter he had yanked into his pocket that day. But... how...?

Keith looked up into her eyes and found her smiling a sad smile.

"I wanted to give it to you before," she said. "But it wasn't the right time..."

"What do you mean? Why?"

Allura sucked in a slow breath and grabbed the hand now holding on to the letter, "Because you told me this was what needed to happen. This... this is my fourth time meeting you since the events by the river... and..." Allura closed her eyes and sighed. "The next time I see you... will be my last."

And then the ringing stopped.

"I'm going to die, Keith," Allura said. "And there's nothing you can do to stop that from happening."


End file.
